Bittersweet Demeanors
by Emiko Saki
Summary: 16 year old Sasuke Uchiha returns to his hometown and many are very welcoming of his return and fawn over him for his attention, but Mr. Popularity isn't all that he is made out to be and Sakura Haruno finds this out first hand.  /modern world setting/
1. Chapter 1

"KYAAAA!"

The high pitched excited screams made Sakura Haruno jump a bit in her seat. She turned her head to look in the direction of where a group of girls where crowding around Ino Yamanka, who had her phone opened in hand and showing whatever was on the screen to the group. Sakura arched a brow in wonder of what they were so excited about.

"Oh my god! I can't believe it!" "It really is true!" "That's really him!" "Wow! He's even hotter than I remember!" "Kyaaaaa!" the group of five girls chattered away talking about the male that was clearly on Ino's cell screen, Ino grinned happily nodding. "Yep, it sure is! I would know him anywhere!" Ino said proudly. "Where did you see him again?" a couple of the girls asked just as Ino's eyes drifted in Sakura's direction, Sakura looked away quickly to avoid eye contact. "The train station last night, the one a few blocks from where I take my Cram classes." Ino had responded and the girls around her screamed excitedly again.

Sakura focused on her reading and tried hard to drown out the girls chatter and screams. She heard mumbles from a few guys that where in the classroom, clearly annoyed with the screaming. Sakura sighed closing her eyes for a moment, just to re-open them and focus on the book in her hands.

"I can't believe it!" one of the girls cheered loudly. "I know!" a couple of others replied just as excited as the first. "Sasuke Uchiha! Wow!" all the girls around Ino seemed to say at once and with that name spoken Sakura's eyes widened and her book fell from her hands and onto the desk top. "He moved away four years ago. Do you think he moved back?" one of the girls questioned and Sakura looked back towards them, her heart suddenly pounding wildly in her chest. "I think so. Why else would he have been at the train station last night?" Ino replied, met Sakura's eyes in that moment and glared. Sakura looked away to break away from the glare that was placed on her. "This is so amazing!" "I wonder what school he is going too!" "I wish he was going here that would be so incredible!"

'_Sasuke-kun…' _The bell suddenly rang and Iruka Umino walked into the classroom. "Okay okay! Quiet down! Take your seats so I can take roll call."

For the twenty minutes of homeroom, Sakura tried not to think about what the girls had been saying about Sasuke Uchiha and of course failed in the attempt. She completely missed the morning announcements. Before she knew it the bell rang indicating that homeroom was over and that first period would begin in about ten minutes once the teachers switched classrooms.

Tugging at her school uniform, a nervous reaction in trying to get her thoughts straight, she looked over at Hinata Hyuuga that sat in the desk next to her, and saw that just like any normal school day, Hinata was silently admiring Naruto Uzumaki from afar. Sakura cleared her throat a little, "Hinata-chan?" Sakura whispered just loud enough to catch the Hyuuga's attention. Hinata blushed realizing that she had also been caught looking at Naruto. She shook her head slightly trying to focus, she then looked over at Sakura with a nervous smile.

"Y-yes, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked in a timid shy voice. Sakura smiled warmly at her.

"Did you catch where the swim team is meeting today?"

Hinata nodded. "T-the indoor pool over by the cafeteria." Sakura nodded and took a quick glance back towards Ino, who was chatting away with a few girls again and staring at her phone.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice suddenly pulled Sakura's attention away from Ino and to the boy who was standing right between Sakura and Hinata's desks. Sakura couldn't help but notice that Hinata had gone completely red in the face.

"What Naruto?" Sakura said in a bit of an annoyed face and then her eyes suddenly lit up as she remembered something, "Oh hey, Naruto. You were good friends with Sasuke-kun right? Sasuke Uchiha?" she asked in a whisper so that Ino wouldn't hear her.

"Eh?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head and then shrugged. "Not, really good friends, but I guess. Why?"

"Oh um…" Sakura looked away feeling her cheeks burn.

"Ah! Before I forget!" Naruto suddenly blurted out remembering what he had come over for. "Can I borrow a pencil? I don't have one…" Sakura sighed and handed him one of her pencils. "Thanks!" he grinned happily and headed back for his desk just as Asuma Sarutobi walked into the class.

"Ah!" Sakura went to call Naruto back to try to find out some information on Sasuke but then Asuma started calling attention of the class.

"Okay class! Get those laptops out!" Asuma ordered chewing on a toothpick as he always did, since he couldn't smoke within the classrooms, or in view of the students. Sakura pulled her laptop out from her bag and heard as Asuma-sensei groaned. "Again! Naruto this is the third week in a row you forgot it." Naruto chuckled nervously and Asuma pointed him out of the room. "Well go to the next room and borrow one from one of the students there, again." There were a few chuckles from the class as Naruto ran out.

While everyone waited for Naruto to come back, Sakura was about to instant message Hinata but before she could a pop up screen came up and she read that it was from Ino. Sakura bit her lip and opened the message._ Ino Yamanka:_ Get over yourself, Forehead. Even you must realize that Sasuke-kun wouldn't be interested in you. Ever! So don't bother trying to get a hold of him, through Naruto.

Sakura balled her hands into fists and fought back replying to the message. She simply closed out the window and heard Ino's small chuckle in the background. _'Shut up Ino-pig! Like you would have a chance either!'_ she thought to herself and wished she had sent that, she sighed just as Naruto returned to the classroom and Asuma started on with the lesson for the day.

* * *

Two class periods later Sakura walked into the cafeteria with Hinata Hyuuga and two second years from class A, Tenten and Lee. Getting their food they all soon found a seat at a table and began eating and chatting. Tenten was talking about what she was currently learning in her cram class with Lee who was giving her some helpful hints about the course, while Sakura listened in but her mind was else where, and Hinata was looking over towards a table of boys that included Naruto, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Choji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara.

"Oh!" Tenten suddenly blurted out which caused Hinata and Sakura to look towards her with surprise. "That reminds me. You two, uh…" she pointed at the girls and then had to think for a moment. "You two use to go to the same elementary right? Same class?"

"Yes?" Hinata and Sakura answered confused, Lee was also looking puzzled as if the conversation had suddenly jumped to something that he hadn't followed.

"Er…" Tenten closed her eyes and her brows pulled together as she tried to think of what she was going to say. "There was a kid… with kinda spike raven colored hair in your class… um… Oh! Uchiha! Sasuke Uchiha right?" Sakura seemed to freeze hearing the name and her heart instantly accelerated. She couldn't answer, however Hinata nodded in reply. "Whatever happened to him? I remember a lot of hype of him being like a genius or something."

"Um… well…" Hinata started and then paused. "I-I'm not sure. He moved away 4 years ago, my f-father said that he went to school overseas." Hinata picked at her food that was on her plate. "Father said that it was for the b-best that Sasuke-kun left."

Sakura then looked at Hinata with a surprised look, the same look that Tenten and Lee were giving her. Hinata suddenly blushed when she noticed that their eyes where on her. She placed her hands in her lap and stared at them biting her bottom lip. "Why?" all three of them then asked in unison.

"Well…" Hinata looked at Sakura. "You know. Um… about w-what happened to Sa-Sasuke-kun's family." Sakura uncontrollably shivered at that and looked away just as Hinata did. "Sasuke-kun's family was k-killed, it was rumored that it was his older brother I-Itachi-san that murdered them." Hinata drew in a breath and released it slowly. "Father says that i-its best that Sasuke-kun left the city and went else where. Y-you know…" she looked up from her hands. "To escape the memories."

"Oh how terrible." Tenten whispered sadly shaking her head.

Sakura looked up after a moment and looked to Tenten. "Why…why did you bring him up?" Sakura found that her voice was shaky and hoped that the others at the table hadn't noticed.

"Hm?" Tenten blinked seeming confused and then she snapped out of it. "Oh right. It's just… I thought I saw him at the train station last night after my cram class." Tenten suddenly looked away when someone in the lunch area busted up laughing, Hinata, Lee and Sakura also looked and saw that it was Ino, laughing about something. "And that Ino girl looked like she was going to have a heart attack when she saw him, she's in my cram class and takes the same train." She then looked back at Sakura. "Hey if I remember right weren't you two best friends?"

Sakura looked down at her tray of food and shrugged. "Use to be…" she replied blankly and then Hinata changed the subject away from Sakura and Ino after sensing that Sakura didn't want to talk about it.

The rest of the lunch period Sakura thought about the past, back when Ino and Sakura had been friends, they use to be best friends until the day that Sakura found out that Ino also liked Sasuke. From there on out the girls stopped being friends all because they both liked the same boy. This had happened before Sasuke had moved away, but the rivalry was still there between the girls and it was clearly going to grow stronger with the short reappearance of Sasuke whom no one would probably ever see again since it was unlikely that he was actually back. Even if he was, it was a rare chance that the boy would come to attend the same school as them. Sakura sighed to herself multiple times during the rest of the lunch period and was so lost in thought that she forgot she was sitting with people.

* * *

The rest of the day went by in a daze for Sakura, before she knew it school was over and she was heading to the school's outdoor pool where the Swim Club would take up their practice. Walking with Hinata into the girls' locker room they quickly dressed down and got into their swimsuits and headed out to the pool.

After listening to what the team captain had to say, Sakura was soon paired against another girl in a quick swim race. Jumping into the water as the whistle was blow Sakura swam as fast as she could to the other end of the pool and back again. She heard the whistle blown while she was still under water and knew that the other girl had won that race. She popped her head out of the water, grabbed onto the concrete siding and went to pull herself up out of the pool. Half in the pool half out she soon froze as her attention was drawn away.

Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw Principle Tsunade and her assistant Shizune walking towards the pool with a raven colored haired male that was about her age. "And this is where the outdoor pool is." Shizune was saying as she pointed and in the same motion pointing towards the building not far away. "The indoor pool is there and the cafeteria is in that building." She stated pointing in the other direction of where the cafeteria building was.

Sakura found herself sinking back into the water, her arms having gone weak just as the male's dark eyes as shifted in the direction of the girls swim team. It wasn't long until the girls on the team had realized the presence of the principle and her assistant as well as Sasuke Uchiha and started whispering in surprised awe of the boy. Sakura barely peaked above the pool and watched as Principle Tsunade and Shizune soon lead Sasuke towards the cafeteria to show him around more of the campus.

"Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan?" there was a worried voice that Sakura could barely hear as she soon felt her whole body grow heavy and her chest hurt as she found it hard to breathe. "Sakura-chan?"


	2. Chapter 2

"A-are you sure you are okay, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked with a worried expression on her face as she and Sakura walked threw the halls of Konoha Academy headed for their classroom.

Sakura laughed and smiled nervously at Hinata. "Y-yeah. I think what happened yesterday at practice was because I didn't eat much of anything yesterday." Sakura explained about her fainting in the pool incident yesterday.

"You need to take b-better care of yourself, Sakura-chan." Hinata whispered worriedly at her friend. Sakura nodded and reassured her that she would as they walked into the classroom and took their seats.

It wasn't long until Sakura heard the current gossip that was going around the room. Ino and her group had found out that Sasuke was indeed going to attend Konoha Academy and it was only more real with the fact that a few people had noticed him yesterday being toured around the school. The bell rang for homeroom and Iruka-sensei walked into the classroom being followed by Principle Tsunade. Everyone shut up in that instant as if to try to hear what the two were talking about but their conversation had ended the moment they were inside the classroom. "Naruto!" Tsunade suddenly yelled looking to the door. "Get in here!"

Sakura sighed shaking her head, _'Oh now what did he get himself into?'_ she wondered as she looked to the door just as Naruto came rushing in with a wide smile on his face and took his seat. Sakura raised a brow wondering why he looked so happy when he was in trouble, or was he in trouble?

Tsunade sighed and then looked to the entire class. "Okay, today we have a new student that is joining your class." She started and Sakura's stomach suddenly turned as her heart started pounding loudly in her chest already having a feeling just who the knew student was. Tsunade looked to the door. "You can come in now." She called and soon Sasuke walked into the classroom and there were a few shocked and surprised gasps, mainly from the female students in the classroom. "This is Sasuke Uchiha and he will be apart of your class for the rest of the semester." Tsunade went on and then turned to Iruka. "Alright I'm going back to my office now, I'll leave the rest to yuo." And with that she exited the room.

"Er…um," Iruka looked around the room, "Okay. Mr. Uchiha how about you take the seat that is there in front of Ms. Haruno." He pointed and then added. "Ms. Haruno raise your hand please."

Raising her hand up in the air she found that she was shaking a bit. Sasuke walked towards her and took the seat that he was told too. Sakura let her hand fall when he had started walking towards her. It wasn't long until she heard Ino and her friends mumbling to each other in jealousy that Sakura was the one that was closest to sitting to Sasuke. Iruka went about taking roll call and then the morning announcements came on over the intercom. Once all the announcements were over with Ino and her group of friends where out of their seats and surrounding Sasuke.

"Hi Sasuke-kun!" the group of girls greeted with smiles, all to agar for attention. Sakura frowned feeling a bit of anger enter her.

"Wow Sasuke-kun it's been years!" Ino started. "Do you remember me? We went to elementary together. Ino. Ino Yamanaka." She introduced herself with a giggle in her voice. Sakura watched as Sasuke merely shrugged not saying anything, Sakura couldn't help but smirk lightly at the cold shoulder that Sasuke was giving the girls.

Ino glanced at Sakura and saw her smirk and glared in reaction and looked back towards Sasuke. "Too bad someone as good looking as you has to be seated close to ugly people." Ino threw an insult towards Sakura without having to talk to her directly. Sakura glared balling her hands into fists ontop of her desk. "You should ask to switch seats with someone and seat next to me." Ino went on with a smug tone to her voice.

"I don't want to sit next to someone who's annoying." Sasuke finally spoke and Ino and her friends gasped at the remark that he had replied back with. Sakura's eyes had gone wide hearing him speak and she couldn't help but smile in reaction.

'_Oh that's bound to do a number on Ino-pig's ego. Yes!'_ she cheered silently to herself and watched as Ino turned and walked away, keeping her head high even though it was clear that she had not excepted such rejection. Her friends followed after her whispering things that Sakura couldn't hear.

"Baka! Don't be mean to the girls." Naruto warned, Sakura hadn't even notice him walking over until he was right there in front of Sasuke's desk.

"Leave him alone, Naruto." Sakura found herself saying in a protective sounding voice. Naruto looked over at her with wide surprised eyes. Sasuke had even looked over his shoulder at her slightly and with Sasuke looking over at her she smiled at him.

"Tch." Sasuke looked away from her and Sakura's eyes widened as her mouth fell open slightly at the cold shoulder that was suddenly turned on her. She closed her mouth and looked down at her desktop. She heard Ino and her friends snickering.

Naruto looked confused not having caught that had happened but he shook it off and looked back to Sasuke, every now and then looking towards Sakura while talking to Sasuke. "It's awesome you're back man, now we can finally get around to that battle of ours." Naruto grinned excitedly and Sakura looked up her brows pulling together in wonder. "I'll beat ya, just you watch." Naruto chuckled.

"Whatever Dobe." Sasuke replied smirking as he said it.

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata started and was instantly blushing from her seat. Naruto looked over at her. "Y-you c-can't fight, S-Sasuke-kun. you'll get in t-trouble." Hinata always seemed to stammer more when she was trying to talk to Naruto or was talking to someone about him.

Naruto laughed grinning brightly. "Don't worry Hinata-chan!" he stated and Sakura watched as Hinata looked at him with wide eyes still blushing. Naruto looked back to Sasuke and playfully punched him in the arm. That little action made a few girls in the class growl not that Naruto paid any attention. "It's all just for fun. We made a deal way back that we would see who was stronger. Of course its me!" Naruto laughed.

"Shut up, Dobe. There's no way you'd could beat me." Sasuke replied a bit smug sounding.

"Ha!" Naruto pointed at Sasuke with a determined face. "We'll see about that, baka!" he grinned. The bell soon rang and Naruto jumped slightly, there were a few giggles and chuckles from the people that had been watching, even Sakura giggled a bit. Naruto went back to his seat before the first period bell would rang and before their teacher came into the room.

Pulling out her Economics book Sakura set it on her desk just as the teacher walked into the room. She looked at Sasuke seeing that he already had his book out but was looking at a paper in his hands, she noticed it was his schedule and realized that he was probably trying to memorize his classes for each day since each day was a different class. Like how Monday was Computers for first period, but today, Tuesday was Economics.

Leaning back in her seat Sakura heard the teacher start into the lesson, however Sakura's mind was stuck on Sasuke. There were so many things she wanted to ask him but the problem was that even if she was by some odd chance able to talk to him outside of class it was likely that he would be surrounded by Ino's group, even despite the rejection he had given earlier, that was just how the girls were.

Then with the following classes to come all Sakura could do was stare at the back of Sasuke's head and listen in on the very few conversations that he had with Naruto whenever Naruto came back up to him. During lunch Sakura sat with her normal group of Hinata, Tenten and Lee and often looked over to where Sasuke was sitting with Naruto and the boys that Naruto normally sat with, only now to that table of boys were the additions of Ino and her group. After lunch when they all returned back to class Sakura finally spoke to him again, just a simple 'hello and how he enjoyed lunch' and in response all she got in return was a shrug and being blown off.

After that once the class was over everyone split up to head towards where their club meeting place was being held. Hinata and Sakura walked with a few other girls from their class that where in the same club and where joined up by other girls once they came to their meeting place. The girl's swim team leader was late and all the girls just talked about what plans they already had for the weekend that was still days away. When the team leader finally showed up all that was said that there wouldn't be practice today after school and then the meeting was over. Sakura listened as some of the girls instantly made plans for after school.

Looking to Hinata as they all left the room she smiled. "What are you going to do today after school, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata instantly blushed and Sakura knew right away it most likely had something to do with Naruto. "I… uh… I'm t-thinking a-about watching N-Naruto-kun in his b-baseball p-practice." She answered and Sakura chuckled.

"Naruto is in baseball? I didn't know that." Sakura smiled. "Do you mind if I join you? I don't have anything else to do today until cram classes. Hinata smiled and shook her head saying she didn't mind at all.

The two girls were about to go around the corner but Sakura stopped, took a step back and pulled Hinata back with her. Hinata was about to ask what was going on but stopped when she heard the voices. Sakura peeked around the corner. Sasuke and some girl from another class where in the hall alone. Sasuke stood in front of the girl with his hands in his pants pockets as the girl had one hand on his arm and was smiling up at him. "Please Sasuke-kun? Will you go out with me?" the girl asked blushing slightly and Sakura felt her throat tightened hearing the question.

Hinata and Sakura watched and listened quietly. Sasuke pulled one hand out from his pocket and brushed the girl's hand off his arm, stepped past her putting his hand back into his pocket. "No." he answered rather coldly as he walked away. The girl looked after him with wide suddenly teary eyes, and then she ran into the girls bathroom that was close by. Sakura sighed, in a bit of relief that Sasuke turned the girl down.

"Wow." Hinata whispered stepping out into the hall with her hand to her mouth. "I heard t-that he turned three girls down a-already today."

Sakura looked at her in surprise. "Three? Really?" her voice sounded a bit choked. "It's his first day here and he's been asked out three times?"

"Um… I suppose f-four times now." Hinata replied and looked back to Sakura.

Sakura smiled. "Heh, well I guess it's no surprise. Sasuke-kun is very good looking." She sounded just a bit bitter due to the fact that so many people had already approached him, but still relieved that he turned them all down. "None of those girls are any good for him anyway." She said happily and then started dreaming a bit of her and him together but then that was suddenly shattered with what Hinata had to say next.

"I-I wonder if maybe he already has a girlfriend from w-where he used to live?"

Sakura hadn't considered that and hearing it now she felt something squeeze her heart. She looked down at the floor biting her bottom lip. The bell soon rang and that snapped Sakura out of her dazed state. "Oh we need to get to class." She stated and hurried with Hinata in the direction of their classroom.

The rest of the school day and during after school activities all Sakura could think about was if Sasuke actually did have a girlfriend somewhere. She wouldn't be surprised if he did but it was a bit of a let down for her to think so, since after all these years she was still crazy about him. Once the after school clubs and sports were over she headed to the train station to catch the train to the side of town where her cram classes were and where she would grab a quick bite to eat before class.

Heading into the building where she would take her cram class she turned around a corner and ended up walking right into someone causing her to drop her books and papers. "Uh?" she quickly knelt down gathering her things. "I'm really sorry about that!" she apologized while grabbing her things and noticed that whoever she walked into was helping her get her things together. "Y-you don't have to do that." She smiled nervously and then finally looked over at the person and froze once her eyes set on the person.

* * *

**Comment: **Okay so this fanfic is currently getting off to a very slow start, plotline wise. I have this idea in my head that I want to get to but there is a bit of things I need to write before getting to that certain plotting that I have in my head. I'm not going to say what I'm aiming for because then that would ruin the surprise lol so please just keep reading, I will update again soon ^^


	3. Chapter 3

"Sa…sa…" Sakura stammering trying to get the name out of her mouth as she stared at the male before her that was gathering the rest of the papers that had scattered in result of them bumping into each other. "Sasori-senpai." Sakura finally managed to get the name out. The red haired male looked at her handing her the papers and smiled a smile that looked force with no true emotion behind it.

Taking the papers Sakura nodded in thanks and got to her feet just as Sasori was. "Be more careful." Sasori stated in a calm voice and walked around her. Sakura turned and watched him walk away and out the doors. She raised a brow wondering where he was going since she was very sure that she and the male had the same cram class. She was just about to walk away but stopped when she noticed that Sasori had stopped outside the building and was talking to a blond female who looked very angry.

Sakura recognized the girl as third year Temari from Suna Academy, the same academy that Sasori attended. Then Temari walked away, Sasori turned and walked back into the building and Sakura hurried off to get into the class so that Sasori wouldn't have thought that she was spying on him.

* * *

Putting in her headphones and turning on her music player Hinata boarded onto the train with a few other people and found herself a seat by the window. It was already after nine at night and she had just gotten out of her cram class and was now headed home. She chewed on the inside of her cheek while she sat there. This was the time of day she hated the most, having to go home. She loved her family but there was just so much pressure, so much expected of her. Her father was a tough man and was always badgering her to take up more studies, to do more things that would reflect nicely on the family. She came from a family that was in high society, rich, popular and she just didn't feel like she belonged at all.

While dreading going home she hadn't even realized that someone had sat next to her until the train began moving and she had turned slightly to get something out of her bag and saw that there was an older man sitting next to her. She tensed a bit and moved as far as she could to the window while not making eye contact with the man. Her body tensed even more when the man moved over towards her, right next to her where his leg was touching hers, the contact made her heart race as she suddenly felt as if something bad was about to happen.

Folding her arms over her chest she squeezed her eyes shut and focused on breathing and telling herself she'd be okay, that nothing was going to happen. Then she felt the man nudge her side with his arm and she opened her eyes to see that he was holding a phone in front of her in her line of sight, on the screen the letters glared at her. 'Don't move, scream or anything. Just enjoy. And don't say thing about what happens here or I'll kill you.'

She stared wide eyed at the screen, and then the man snapped shut the phone and put it away while resting his hand on her thigh. Gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut she grabbed the man's hand and tried to push it away but found that he was stronger than her. Shy, timid Hinata who could barely fight was now finding herself in a situation that could get her killed. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked around the train seeing that there was no one close enough to even notice what was going on, the train was pretty empty much to her misfortune.

The man slid his hand between her legs and moved up under her skirt while his other hand quickly went to her mouth and covered it to make sure she stayed quiet. She tried to move away from him, tried to pull his hand from her mouth but was failing. She kicked the seat in front of her but it did no good since no one was sitting there. Sobs stuck in her throat as she felt the man's fingers start to pull at her underwear.

"Oi! Hinata-chan!" A cheerful familiar voice came from behind her. She looked just as the man's hand fell from her mouth and pulled his other hand out from under her skirt, but not before Naruto had already come over and seen the action of him pulling back. "Oh! Um! Sorry… didn't mean to… uh…" Naruto looked a bit disturbed by what he saw and it was clear that he was thinking that Hinata was just being frisky like a lot of other girls their age where. "Didn't… think you were like that…" he muttered sounding confused.

He went to walk away but not before getting a look at her face and seeing the tear streaked face and horror filled emotion in her eyes. His eyes widened and then it clicked in his head just what was going on and that Hinata was a victim rather than some pleasure seaker. His eyes turned on the man that was now standing and getting ready to flee as a stop was coming up. Naruto grabbed the man by the back of his shirt.

"Oh hell no! You aren't getting away you sick bastard!" Naruto roared in anger forcing the man around and pulling his hand back, balling his hand into a fist and slamming right into the man's mouth and forcing the man to stumble back and fall. The doors to the train opened, the man scrambled to his feet and took off out of the train. "Hey! Get back here!" Naruto yelled and went to chance after him but stopped. "Kiba! Stay with Hinata!" and then he took off out of the train to chase down the man.

"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried out weakly and watched as the train doors closed. Kiba Inuzuka walked over and Hinata looked at him, and quickly wiped away her tears. Kiba looked worried as he sat down.

"You okay, Hinata?" Kiba asked wearily. "That guy didn't hurt you did he?" he suddenly looked angry as the words left his mouth and he looked towards the door that Naruto and the man had ran out of. The train started moving again and he looked back at Hinata who had her face in her hands. "Hinata?" Kiba touched her shoulder and she jerked away. Kiba frowned with a sad look on his face and pulled his hand back.

"S-sorry, K-Kiba-kun." Her voice was weak and shaky. Kiba smiled weakly. "I-I'm okay. N-Naruto-kun came j-just in time." She answered his earlier question.

Kiba picked up a briefcase and went threw it. Hinata looked at him and watched. "Well this is good, if Naruto doesn't catch that jackass least we can give this to the police and they can find him and put him in jail where he belongs." He then looked at her. "The next stop is yours right?"

Hinata nodded. "Y-yes."

"Alright, I'll walk you home then." Kiba said as he pulled out his phone and started texting his older sister to tell her he would be late getting home and to tell their mom. Hinata nodded again in thanks.

"K-Kiba-kun?" Hinata whispered and Kiba looked at her raising a brow. "P-please don't tell a-anyone what happened." She said as she looked at him with a pleading expression on her face. Kiba found himself blushing some and he looked away as he nodded. "T-thank you."

Kiba then sent another text an advanced warning to Naruto not to tell anyone about what happened that Hinata had asked them to stay quiet. Hinata's stop came and the two of them headed off. Kiba walked her home and once he dropped her off his phone started going off. He walked away from the Hyuuga home and answered the call.

"Yeah she's okay. She just doesn't want us to say anything about what happened." Kiba replied after Naruto on the other end asked if she was okay. Naruto then told him that he couldn't catch the man. "That's alright. I got the guy's briefcase, lets just go drop it off at the police station and tell them what happened." There was a pause. "Yeah I know she said not to say anything but this has to be an exception we got to make sure that guy gets caught." Another pause. "Alright meet you there in about twenty." Then he hung up and kept walking.

* * *

The next day at school during the lunch break Sakura, Hinata, TenTen and Lee sat together like they always did. Sakura asked Hinata what was wrong countless times due to having noticed that Hinata seemed to be lost in thought the entire day, more so than normal, but all Hinata would do was smile nervously and say nothing, that she was okay. Then about ten minutes into lunch the group of four was suddenly joined by more people.

Naruto grabbed one of the empty chairs and had Sakura and Hinata make room for him to sit in-between them, while Kiba sat on the other side of Hinata. "Hehe hey guys!" Naruto greeted happily and smiled at Sakura and then at Hinata. Sakura blinked in surprise and then watched as Hinata's eyes widened and her face turned completely red and then she stared down at her plate her hair falling over her face.

Kiba laughed and then pointed at Lee, "Dude! I know you! You're on the Karate team! You've got quick steps and strikes!" Lee laughed and then two boys went into a conversation that none of the girls could really keep up with. TenTen stared at Lee and Kiba as they chatted and she laughed shaking her head and she soon switched seats with Lee so that she wasn't in-between Lee and Kiba. Sakura and TenTen exchanged smiles and then as Sakura was going to say something to TenTen she noticed that TenTen's eyes shifted away from Sakura and stared with a look of surprise when someone pulled up a seat next to her.

"Neji!" TenTen said in surprise. "You never eat in here! This is weird!"

Neji Hyuuga, Hinata's cousin sighed and frowned. "I needed new scenery. Don't make such a big deal out of this." He replied and then looked around. "You and Lee normally sit with first years?" he questioned lightly and TenTen laughed.

"Oi! Hurry up!" Naruto suddenly shouted over his shoulder on the side that Sakura was on which made Sakura jump slightly in surprise.

"It's not my fault you decided to run across a crowded room, Dobe." And with hearing that familiar voice Sakura's heart stopped for a moment and then sped up. Naruto laughed and grinned. Sakura soon blushed when she realized that Sasuke was taking the seat on the other side of her.

"Erm… I can move over… so you can sit next to Naruto." Sakura stated in a voice barely above a whisper.

"No it's fine." Sasuke said as he sat down and leaned back in the seat.

Sakura smiled to herself suddenly very happy that she was able to sit next to him, even though she sat behind him all through out the school day practically. Sakura tried to focus on the others at the table rather than just Sasuke, she remember how Sasuke reacted to Ino and her friends crowded him and she didn't want that same rejection or being called annoying.

Kiba and Lee where still talking about sports among other things and Neji joined in on that conversation as did TenTen give a few statements of input into it here and there as she watched Neji without him seeming to notice. Sakura wondered if TenTen liked Neji. Naruto was talking quietly with Hinata, or at least trying since Hinata was barely talking, even with how close Sakura was sitting she couldn't really hear what was being said, that was how quietly Naruto was speaking with Hinata, which was odd on two points since Naruto and Hinata never talked and another being that Naruto was almost always so loud.

Sakura then glanced over at Sasuke, seeing that he wasn't joining any conversations at the table or even making any. She swallowed hard and smiled at him. "Enjoying it here at Konoha Academy?" she asked.

Sasuke closed his eyes and shrugged. "It's school."

"Heh, yeah. Guess there's not much to enjoy." Sakura laughed nervously.

"Not really." Sasuke opened his eyes. "I'm still getting use to it. It's different from schools in the States, I forgot just how much."

"The States? You went to school in America?" Sakura asked surprised and Sasuke just merely nodded and closed his eyes again. "Did you like it there?"

"Yeah. Can't wait to go back."

Sakura suddenly fell quiet and her chest hurt due to the realization that how he was planning like he would be going back. She wanted to ask if he was really going to go back, when he would be leaving if he was going and why, but she couldn't get the words out. Sasuke opened his eyes and they finally shifted over onto her. She looked away letting her hair fall over her face so that he couldn't see the saddened look that had taken it over.

"Jeez how annoying." Sasuke suddenly muttered and that made Sakura look back at him with wide eyes wondering why he just called her annoying, what had she done? Then she realized that he was looking past her, she looked over her shoulder and saw Ino and her group of friends looking in their direction, whispering to each other, and glaring. Sakura figured the glares were at her and s he looked away and back onto the table top.

"They just like you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura whispered now looking at her hands that she had in her lap. She forced a soft laugh. "You're very popular. I beat they all want to be your girlfriends."

"Tch." Sasuke made that annoyed sound again and she glanced at him seeing that he had turned his head back and had his eyes closed. She looked away and mumbled a sorry and then the rest of lunch and the rest of the day she remained quiet, all the while having gone back to wondering about what Hinata had said the day before, if Sasuke already had a girlfriend.


End file.
